The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-19
WEST MEHPHIS ROWDlkS
INDULGE In A SALOON FIGHT,
AND THOMAS SMITH Is
Pierced BY o Ballet From a PistO
In the hands Of JEFF
Black.

A cowardty, and probably success
full, attempt at murder occurred on
the Arkansas side of the river, oppo.
site Memphis, between 5 and 6 o'clock
yesterday afternoon. The victim lies
In the city hospital, in precarioHs
condition, but with some chance for
recovery. Shortly after o'clock a
telephone message was received at the
8 ct o l olse announcing the shooting,
and Serge ant Koran ran to the foot OF
Beale street, where the ferry steamer
P. II. Kelly was lying. There he
learned that the wounded man had
only few minutes before bien take1
from the boat and taken to the hos
pital. Ia company with the serge ant,
an APPEAL reporter visited the hos.
pital and found IT, sufferer resting
easily under the influence OF an
opiate. The attending physician
aroused him and he related the follow
ing story, after giving his name IS
Thomas Smith;
For the past five years cor Tess to
having been a rather wild and tough
citizen, with fondnees for whisky. l
was in a saloon drinking, together
with jeff Black and John Miles. The
latter and had some words, but the
misunderstanding, as / thought, had
teen emC othed over. Finally Black
put on a pair OF boxing gloves, put up
his props, and asked If l knew any
thing about spaIrng. answered that
l did not, as 1t was unnecessary. A
few words passed, and / finally re-
marked that l had $40 which said
could knock him out He replied that
the only way he would fight me was
with pistol or knife. Shortly after
this he took nae by the m and to-
gether we walked about three. quarters
Of mile up the river, followed by
John Miles.
Suddenly he locsed his hold I my
arm, stepped back a few PAGES, pulled
q thirty eight caliber, double action
Smith & WeSson pistol and fred. l
asked him why he had killed me, and
he seemed surprised. Just as he fred
Miles came up aud struck me in the
face with something"
Sergeant Koran questioned Smith
closely about men aud matters gen.
orally because Of. lurking suspicion
that he is wanted for something else.
Smith Is familiar figure to him and
the older men on the police force, but
just what to nail him In Is the ques-
ton. He confesses to having cut an
old man named Dean, OF West Mem.
phis during the last races hare, but
not seriously, and the wounds and
hard feeling have all hea'ei. Smiths
face bears the marks of a rumbsr OF
vicious blows, his left eye being closed,
his nose cut, and long gssh over his
lett eye. The bullet from
Blacks pistol perforated his |
body about two inches above the |
left nipple, struck rib and glanced
around underneath the shoulder
blade, from which position was cas-
lily extracted. The wounded man also
gave the names OF ]. w. Thomas and
Tnomss Bales, but in verificstion of
the name Smith he referred to DIR.
Lacy and Lee Hall, OF this city, and
Sheriff Hayes, Of Mississippi county,
Ark. He claims to have been en-
ployed for some time past at Capt.
Blocks sawmill, at West Memphis,
He also states that JEFF Block, John
Miles and the other men around West
Memphis were afraid Of him. The
shooting was evidently the result Of
,aloon row.